Tividale FC

Report

JW Hunt Cup
Quarter Final
Tuesday 7th March 2023
Tividale 4-1 Paget Rangers

Tividale eased into the semi-finals of the JW Hunt Cup with a result that a couple of weeks ago could have been much different. But our performances since that Saturday against Lye Town have improved along with their confidence.

There was also debuts for youth players Callum Powell (12) and Ashley Oliver (14) both pictured and Tividale’s first set of twins to play together Harry and Oliver Fluke

After the point against Shifnal Town in the previous game confidence was high going into this game against Paget Rangers who ply their trade in the division below us. With Arman Khoshkhoo cup tied and Reinaldo Forbes unavailable from the weekends game. Jack Fletcher and Nashawn Blake replaced them in the line-up.

There was a break in play within the first minute of the game for a head injury when Paget’s Donald Egbon went down after an arial challenge. The play was held up for 7 to 8 minutes and eventually he was substituted in line with concussion protocol.

Paget scored on their first attack after the break in play. A Leslie Omorodion shot was deflected off a Tividale defender and with keeper Louis Connor wrong footed by the original shot the ball fell kindly to Harry Jackson 3 yards out and in the centre of an open goal and he made no mistake. As mentioned earlier 10 days ago this could have been the beginning of a long night but since then we are playing with a new confidence.

Tividale will wonder how they were not level within the next couple of minutes. First Dan Smith had a shot well saved by Paget keeper Tommy Doyle. Then Harry Lewis was in on goal twice but both times fired over the Paget bar.

On 18 minutes Lewis’s persistence paid off as he is brought down in the Paget box and he picks himself up and sends Doyle the wrong way. With Tividale pressing and looking to add to their score. They also had to be wary of Paget on the break and on 29 minutes the visitors had a great chance to go back in front. After some great work by Tim Oyanda he just could not hold his balance and skied his shot.

From the goal kick Tividale forced a corner and from Malcom Melvin’s in swinging delivery Blake headed past Doyle at the near post to put the home side in the lead after 30 minutes. A Jackson free kick after 38 minutes was put wide as Paget looked for an equaliser. But on 44 minutes it was 3-1 to Tividale. A tremendous run and cross from Zac Kourouyianni that picked out Smith rising like a salmon at the back post and he planted his header firmly past Doyle.

Tividale were not finished their and in the 5th minute of added time in the first half with the visitors appealing in vain for a player down with a head injury. Melvin found Fletcher with a peach of a pass and the youngster side stepped his marker and slots home.

Half Time:-Tividale 4-1 Paget Rangers

The second half was noticeable for its lack of goalmouth action. The only one of note was a Fletcher cross that Blake headed against the cross bar after 50 minutes.

Tividale once again finished the game with 10 men (after the Smith and Wood dismissals previously) when Melvin was shown a straight red after a challenge that he apologised for immediately stating that his slip made it even worse.

The number of substitutions in the second period also didn’t help the flow of the game but Tividale saw out the remainder of the game with 10 men quite comfortably in the end and hopefully will be in a better position for the massive league games to come.

Full Time:-Tividale 4-1 Paget Rangers

Tividale: – 1. Louis Connor, 2. Zac Kourouyianni, 3. David Solademi, 4. Joe Burroughs, 5. Louis Ezewele (15. Harry Fluke 58), 6. Joe Hawkins, 17. Harry Lewis (14. Ashley Oliver 82), 8. Malcolm Melvin, 9. Dan Smith (16. Oliver Fluke 58),10. Nashawn Blake (12. Callum Powel 77), 11. Jack Fletcher.

Unused Subs:- 13. Peter Hawk.